


Too Long

by klaviergavout



Category: Steam Powered Giraffe
Genre: Gen, angst again, what a surpriseeee, why do i make myself sad like this
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-16
Updated: 2016-05-16
Packaged: 2018-06-08 21:32:38
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 681
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6874459
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/klaviergavout/pseuds/klaviergavout
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Hatchworth, just out the Vault, begins to realise how long it's really been.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Too Long

When Hatchworth stepped out of the Vault for the first time in several lonely decades, he was violently thrust into a world of light and colour, and stopped mid-stride.  
  
Peter Walter VI, who had already exited the Vault and was walking ahead of him, stopped and looked back to see the bemused automaton stood silent in front of the Vault's lonely door. With a soft and pitiful sigh, he grasped Hatchworth's hand in his own and began to lead him through the corridor.

The silence could be broken at the drop of a pin. Hatchworth looked blank, no real expression on his face, trying to process the sensory information that was flooding in. He could feel a slight warmth from the radiated hallway. He could see paintings on the walls with still a slight blur to them, and he could hear people talking in rooms and clocks ticking softly and everything was new and loud and _different._

After five minutes of silent wonder Hatchworth began to speak.

* * *

“What year is it?”

“2010.”

“Oh.” Hatchworth’s look didn’t change. Two minutes later, another question, a raised eyebrow. “Which Peter are you?”

Peter was taken aback at the blunt question, and it took him a while to form the words to answer. “I’m, uh. Peter the Sixth.”

Hatchworth’s blank look changed dramatically.

He let go of Peter’s hand in an instant, backing away, sadness clouding his eyes as he began to realise how long it had really been.

“No, you aren’t. You’re not the sixth, you can’t be the sixth, that’s too long, that’s too long--”

“Hatchworth, you need to try and calm down.” Peter took a small step towards the brass automaton, who was shaking slightly, and held out his hand again for him to take.

At this Hatchworth shook his head, eyes beginning to brim with oily tears. His hands were balled into tight fists and his voice was unstable.

“They said it wouldn’t take long, they said they would come and fix me, they told me I’d be fine, they told me they’d come back, and they _forgot._ ”

“Hatchworth—”

“They _told_ me they wouldn’t forget about me!”

All hint of sadness on Hatchworth’s face had now been replaced with an overflowing anger.

“They told me I’d get to see my brothers and sisters again, but I didn’t even get to say goodbye to them and I don’t know how long I’ve been gone! What if-” and at this proposition Hatchworth’s eyes went wide and a few tears dripped softly down his cheeks- “What if there was a war, and they’re dead, and they’re gone, and I’ll never see them again?”

“Hatchworth, please—”

Hatchworth took a deep, shaky breath. “How long was I in there, how long has it been?”

“I-”

 _“Tell me!”_ Hatchworth turned on Peter angrily, his face contorted- but as soon as he had locked eyes with Peter’s unfeeling mask, he began to cry, hunching his shoulders up as he stared at the ground.

Peter moved slowly towards him and, after a moment of hesitation, embraced the automaton in a hug. This only made Hatchworth cry louder, harder, holding Peter with all his strength, almost as if letting go would cause the world to break apart.  
  


* * *

It took a good few minutes before anyone said another word. People passed them in the corridor, stared, wondered, but neither of them took any notice of the passers-by.

“How long?”

“72 years.”

Hatchworth choked out a sob, and Peter hugged him harder. “And The Spine? Rabbit?”

“Still alive.”

Hatchworth’s hands clutched tightly at Peter’s back. “I want to see them.”

“I know.”

“You won’t send me back?”

“Never.”  
  
"Not even if I break again?"  
  
"Not even if you break again, 'cause now I know how to fix you."

* * *

After a long, relieving period of silence, Hatchworth finally pulled away from Peter, beaming. He wiped the tears from his eyes before looking back up at him.

“Thank you.”  
  
If Hatchworth was able to take a glimpse under Peter Walter VI's mask he would've seen the man's eyes full of tears also.  
  
"No problem."  
  
  



End file.
